This invention relates in general to article feeding devices and deals more particularly with an improved article feeder of the vibratory bowl type wherein the bowl is formed with a helical ramp along which articles to be fed travel in response to vibration or oscillation of the bowl. The present invention is particularly concerned with an improved vibratory feeding apparatus for orienting and feeding axially elongated articles in axially side-by-side relation to each other wherein each of the articles has an elongated body and a radially enlarged portion axially spaced from at least one end of the body.
Apparatus of the aforedescribed general type has heretofore been provided wherein a supply of articles loosely contained within a vibrating feeder bowl are discharged upwardly by means of a peripheral ramp leading to a gated outer rim through which articles are successively discharged in a generally radial direction. If articles are to be fed from the feeder bowl directly to another machine which operates continuously or to a conveyor which feeds the machine, the feeder bowl must generally remain in constant operation to continuously advance articles along its ramp surface. Articles loosely received within the central portion of the bowl remain in a continuous state of motion and constantly rub or impact against each other. This condition is generally undesirable, particularly where the articles are made from a soft plastic material or the like and have a surface finish which may be easily damaged. The present invention is particularly concerned with this problem.
It is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved article feeding apparatus of the vibratory bowl type for feeding a continuous supply of axially elongated articles oriented in axially side-by-side relation and wherein the drive mechanism for vibrating the feeder bowl may, if desired, be intermittently operated.